The Anthem of the Swan
by Gnomea
Summary: OOC. AH. Charlie was one of the few things that connected Edward and Bella. She loathed him while he worshipped the ground he walked on. It was this connection that would turn their lives upside down.
1. Thy Will be done

**All recognisable characters belong to SM. I just own the plot.**

Yeah, here I go again with another story. Slow burn as usual.

Thank you to** PTB** for their help and insights. And lots of love to **Vivi En **for my pretty little banner.

And now we begin.

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"_Where there is perfection there is no story to tell." – Ben Okri_

The elaborate interior of this building was designed to intimidate. The high ceilings and wide corridors that made way to a very spacious floor was all I could see as we walked through the foyer. The clicking of our heels with every step we took seemed to announce our arrival, although no one was there to welcome us.

Because we were late, there was no doubt they were inside the conference room waiting. It wasn't as if I had a choice to not come.

I was nervous, and for me to have to guess what this meeting was about didn't help my agitation. The people inside weren't on my favorite list – more like _my steer away from_ list – and having to meet with them had not been high on my priority.

"We can still get out of here if you want," Rosalie said in a no nonsense tone. I had known her long enough to know she didn't say things she didn't mean.

"No, I need to do this."

"Are you sure?" The little frown between her eyebrows was the only sign that said she was worried. The almost perfect poise and the poker face she usually had on made most people think she was a bitch. Not to me. She was like the sibling I never had.

Her unwavering stare disconcerted me, and I got a little more agitated. She knew me, and I was afraid she could see the fear I tried to hide.

"Well?"

"Y-yes, I'm sure, Rose."

"I'm really trying to believe that, Bella." She had this uncanny ability to piss me off even when I was certain she wanted to help. Like I said, she was a sister – someone I loved most times, but I hated the other times.

"Aro had me backed into a corner by insisting this meeting had something to do with my mother … sort of."

"He said that?"

"Not quite that way. He insinuated it though," I told her, proceeding just as she nodded. "I have a feeling this meeting is something Alice and Cullen didn't anticipate. And that is why I'm here, Rose. I want to see them rattled."

"Hmmm … but do you think coming here is a good idea?" The way she said it left no room for doubt she expected this reunion would be some kind of bloodbath. My previous encounters with them hadn't been pretty, so she was right to worry. I wanted to believe I could deal with the aftermath of what was to come. Although I was certain there was nothing of substantial importance that warranted my attendance here, Aro's insistence of my presence told me otherwise. It had taken a few weeks, and many phone calls from him, to make me agree to come. Truth be told, I would have continued to ignore him and all his mention of inheritance and shit. I didn't give a damn then, and I surely didn't give a damn now. Even in his death, I detested Charlie Swan, along with anything associated with him.

The only thing that convinced me to change my mind was Aro's mention of the small building my mother had left me. He was vague in his explanation, just that I needed to come. I had a bad feeling about this meeting, but I pushed it aside. I needed to be confident in there. If Alice saw me unnerved, she would relish and gloat … and I would not let that happen.

"I sure hope they're ready for me, Rose."

"Is it bad of me to wish that they're not? Because I really want to see their faces once they realized you won't be intimidated."

"Let's pray I survive this shit."

"You will. I won't let you wither and die in there just to be trampled by that bitch. And you know she will if you give her a chance."

"I won't give them the satisfaction of seeing me affected by anything they say. Just make sure I'm in line with that goal throughout the meeting."

"You're sure about this?" She cocked an eyebrow like she doubted I could do this.

"I already told you I am, so let's get this over and done with."

We made our way inside the conference room knowing the next hour wasn't going to be easy. The other party, as expected, was already present. It looked as if they had been waiting a while for our arrival, and the look of disdain on Alice's face told me she didn't appreciate our lateness. She hated my guts, and it was okay with me. There was a huge history between us, and it was something I wished I could forget. The depth of her anger towards me was familiar, so the murderous glare she threw my way wasn't surprising. I should be indifferent about her. Sometimes I could pull it off, like her craziness didn't affect me, but most times, her resentment got to me. My presence alone aggravated her, and as much as I tried not to react to her, it was difficult when she made it her mission to aggravate me in every way she could.

"Good morning, Isabella," Aro greeted, and I nodded. I could feel their eyes on me, but I refused to look at them.

Rosalie took the seat opposite Emmett McCarty, leaving the seat in front of Alice vacant.

"First, I would like to say it's a pleasure to have you here today. Charlie would have been happy," Aro continued, breaking the awkward silence. "This meeting is–was very important to him."

He glanced at me, clearly checking my expression. He knew I didn't care much about my deceased father, and no matter what they said, nothing would change what I felt about him. Aro smiled before his expression turned businesslike again. His was the only friendly face amongst the other four people – Cullen, his lawyer, Alice and Helena – present. Our tardiness didn't seem to have affected his mood, and somehow that made me smile.

"Well, at least she had the decency to come and grace us with her presence." Alice said, bitterness lacing every word.

My first instinct was to react, but knowing she would use that as an excuse to have a verbal battle with me, I ignored her instead. As experience taught me, she wanted to make this difficult for me. It would be futile to explain I wasn't here to cause any problems. She wouldn't listen to me, never had. She was one crazy bitch … that I could attest. It was never a good time to get in any kind of argument with Alice. She was delusional. Unfortunately, only a few people – Rose, Jasper and I included– saw her for what she really was. All I wanted was to know what this will reading had to do with _my_ property – the small lot with the building in the downtown area where my shop was. Although it was only a tiny piece of property compared to everything _they _owned, it was the only link I had with my mother and to say it was priceless was an understatement.

"You really think you're special, don't you? Making us wait for fifteen minutes like you're someone important … but honey, you're not."

She was really pissing me off with this attitude. I turned to her, ready to engage, but Rose's hand on my arm held me back.

"Ms. Sw- Isabella's lateness was due to an emergency she couldn't avoid, something I would be discussing with Aro later and no one else."

Rose's serious tone shut Alice up, but the glare she sent our way told me she was far from over it. The sound of clicking averted my attention from the bitch across the table. Rose was playing with her pen, a habit of hers when she was tense or angry. It made me realize she was just as irritated with Alice's behavior as I was. There was no surprise there. She hated Alice's guts much more than I did. It was a good thing she was a professional, or we would have a bloodbath on our hands.

A shuffling sound made me turn my head to see Edward Cullen seated at my far right, looking cool and composed next to his lawyer. The scowl planted on his face was better than the disgusted expression I was used to. There was no doubt in my mind what he thought of me. This family hated me for reasons I didn't want to know about. It didn't matter because they didn't matter. They had no room in my life, and that was how I liked it.

The frown on Cullen's face deepened, and I wanted to smack him. He couldn't intimidate me. I wouldn't allow it. I glared at him, hoping he would get the hint and stop bullying me.

He didn't.

Instead, he continued to stare, even when the sound of a throat clearing was heard. I would be damned if I would be the first to break our staring contest. Fuck him! He had always been an asshole to me, and even if I tried, which I didn't, he wouldn't want to be on friendly terms with me. He said so himself. He loved Charlie, and that was where his loyalty stayed.

Cullen's eyebrow arched slowly, mocking me, while I held his gaze. It was like he dared me to look away before it got worse. Worse for whom, I didn't know. I was becoming extremely uncomfortable, so I quickly turned my face away. I could still feel his eyes on me as I tried to act nonchalant. The tension inside the room became unbearable as the seconds ticked.

"Mr. Cullen has an important meeting in two hours. We need to begin," Emmett announced, arrogant and confident just like his asshole of a client.

"Very well," Aro said, but I heard a trace of relief in his tone. Perhaps he was as exasperated with our drama as I was. He gathered some papers on the table in front of him, shuffled some and proceeded to the formalities. He was the executor of my father's affairs.

He proceeded to inform us once again about the reason we were all here – the reading of the will of the late Charles Michael Swan, known to everyone as Charlie.

"Charlie had left behind his wife, Helena, his eldest daughter, Mary Alice, his son, Edward Anthony and his other daughter, Isabella Marie," Aro continued to read from the paper he held. "The following are his bequests. His assets will be divided between the four of his beneficiaries, except for some certain properties." He continued with his reading, but I tuned him out. I was not interested in the least about any of Charlie's things. They could all take it and shove it up their asses.

There was a long pause, as if he flicked his eyes towards me for a second before he returned his attention back to reading the will.

"A certain building in Seattle –"

The property he just mentioned was the only exception to my indifference. It was mother's building. _My building_. My heart started to race because I had this feeling of dread creep up on me. There was something wrong, and I didn't want to hear it.

"will be transferred to Edward Anthony Cullen."

"What?!"

I could feel the haze of anger surround my eyes. The sound of my heart hammering against my chest was so loud, and it was all I could hear.

"What the hell is going on? That property is mine!" I shouted, so angry I couldn't think straight. I even broke my resolve not to be affected by anything here, but fuck, they were giving away the only thing I had of my mother's. I wouldn't just sit here and allow that to happen.

I shouldn't have glanced at Alice, but I did. She smiled maliciously at me, and I wanted to slap it off her face, so she would know this wasn't a laughing matter. I glared at her, shooting daggers as she continued to smirk.

How the fuck could this happen?

"Bella," I heard Rose say, her hand on my arm in an attempt to calm me down. When I searched her face, she gave me the _look_, so I settled back on my seat, even though I wanted to tear the will apart … to shred it into pieces.

If Charlie's wishes were followed, Edward fucking Cullen would own my property. Over my dead body!

"Charles Michael Swan also gives his sixty percent shares of EC Recording to Isabella Marie Swan-"

"What the fuck?! The hell he will!"

I didn't need to see who spoke to know Edward didn't like where this meeting was going. It was quickly going to shit. I turned to see Emmett trying to pacify Edward just like Rosalie did to me earlier, but the murderous glare he sent Aro's way summed up the way he felt about what he just read.

"EC Recording is mine. He can't fucking do this to me, Aro!"

"And in case Isabella refused this inheritance …" Aro continued like he didn't care about any of our outbursts. His steely gaze, however, was now fixed on Edward in warning "… it would be given to a charity Charles had chosen prior to his death."

_No, no, no!_ _This can't be happening!_ I closed my eyes, hoping when I opened them everything I just heard was a hallucination.

Aro continued to speak, but I tuned him out. All I could think about was my building. Edward owned it now, and somehow that thought fueled my anger more. I wouldn't give that bastard and his sister the opportunity to have a hand on the only thing I had left of my mother.

"Rose-"

"I know. We'll sort this out, Bella. I swear."

I could see the promise in her eyes, and it calmed me a little bit. If there was someone who could handle this mess, it was Rose. I sure hoped she could work her magic, although the uneasy feeling inside me didn't go away.

"Aro, are you sure about Edward's studio?" Alice cut in. Now that it was her favorite brother who would lose something important to him, she was pissed about it. I wanted to mock her like she did to me earlier, but I was too tired to even make the effort.

"Yes. It's all here." Aro wasn't rattled, in fact he looked like he expected this sort of thing today.

"This is bullshit!"

"No, this is a fucking catastrophe! " Edward said angrily, in agreement with Alice's protest. "She can't have my studio, no fucking way!"

"I don't want it," I spat, suddenly angrier than I'd ever been.

"Good because you're not getting it."

Rose's hand on my arm prevented me from giving a snarky retort to Edward. I glanced at her, and she gave me a small nod like I was supposed to know what that meant.

"Isn't there something we could do so Edward's studio wouldn't go to …" Alice pointed a finger at me "… her?"

I opened my mouth just as Aro said, "There's a stipulation here that could resolve this problem between Mr. Cullen and Ms. Swan."

"Tell us then." It was Edward, his voice hard and commanding.

And so Aro did. Then we were left speechless because the solution was unfathomable as it was absurd.

"You've got to be kidding me!" It was Edward who first voiced his disagreement.

"No Mr. Cullen, I'm not. This is Charlie's wish."

I hated Charlie … more so than ever. Even in death, he could still fuck with my life.

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	2. Life Unexpected

**All recognisable characters belong to SM. I just own the plot.**

Thank you to** PTB** for your beta magic, and to **Twilightmom505** for the title suggestion.

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"So?" Angela asked, looking expectant as she waited for the verdict. I tried to keep the excitement inside me, but the smile already plastered on my lips gave me away.

"Oh my God! You got it!"

I grinned, nodding as I shouted, "Yes, we got it!"

Angela raced forward to hug me, squeezing me in her tight embrace. It was how Tanya found us.

"You two seem cozy. Is there something you guys need to tell me?" she asked, her eyebrow cocked in question. The look of mischief twinkled in her eyes as she looked at us hugging. It seemed she wanted in on the fun.

"Don't start with that shit, Tan. You know Ang and I don't swing that way."

Tanya just smirked before she sat on one of the tables. She was gay, and she had always fantasized doing Ang and me either individually or together. That desire had been voiced repeatedly in the years since I had known her. She was vocal like that.

"So what's this hugging all about?" She waved her hand at us, clearly intent on knowing the reason behind all this excitement.

"Bella just landed her first account in BB Retailers. The store that specializes –"

"In inexpensive shit," Tanya finished for Ang.

"Don't be so condescending, Tan," I told her. Tanya had been renting the only other available space in this building for her music store. It had been over two years now since she first came to lease the space next to mine, and she had been a constant visitor, or more like a nuisance, in my dress shop. She could be nice when she wanted to, and surprisingly, I even considered her a friend especially those times when she wasn't being a sarcastic bitch. "You know this would help expand my horizon. Free advertisement as they say."

"Yeah, and that is the image you want to conjure." The sarcasm wasn't lost to me. "You're Charlie's daughter –"

"Please don't start. I don't want to hear it," I said. The mention of Charlie grated on my nerves. Tanya knew who my father was, and she insisted I used my association with him to get where I wanted to. She said it was my right. I digress.

"But –"

"Shut the hell up!" Angela demanded, her narrowed eyes directed at Tanya. "Can't you learn how to put the brakes on your mouth?"

"Whoa, hold your horses!" She held her hands up in surrender as she tried to backpedal. "I was just trying to make Bella see that she shouldn't settle for anything less than she deserves."

Here we go again.

"I'm not settling," I argued, turning to face her so she could see I was serious. "I'm working my way up. That's what I want and that's what I'm getting. Capisce?"

She made this sour face, like she never could understand my line of thinking. "Whatever." She scooted forward and landed on her boot-clad feet with a loud thud, her hands going on her hips. "So, do you think I could look over those pretty little designs of yours?"

She waggled her eyebrows at me, and I laughed. It was obvious she was trying to distract me and it was working.

"Yeah, come along."

Angela had seen the sketches, and she went back to her little corner to continue whatever it was she was doing before I came in. Tanya followed me to my small office at the far corner of the room, and I carefully showed the sketches of the clothes Victoria Lewis had agreed to consign for the budget store BB retailers. My excitement bubbled as I explained the details of what fabric I would use for the clothes.

It was only when my phone beeped, alerting me of an incoming text message, that I stopped my incessant babbling and went to check whom it was from. It was a text message from Rose reminding me of our meeting this afternoon, something I hoped I didn't have. The satisfaction I had felt earlier quickly faded as the realization of what would happen if I lost this place – my work place … my home.

"Are you okay?" Tanya looked concerned, her brows knitted in a frown as she tried to decipher what had changed my mood suddenly.

"Yeah." I tried to act as if nothing bothered me, but I was certain I failed. Thankfully, she left it alone. Shaking my negative feelings aside, I continued to show the sketches to her. The mood boards that showcased the theme of my collection awed her, and that momentarily made me smile.

It was premature to keep on worrying. I wouldn't lose this building; I couldn't. That was that. Cullen and his family would have war on their hands if they didn't compromise. Surely they would. I hoped.

The nagging feeling of doom didn't leave me all morning, even doubling as I met with Rose for a late lunch at the little Mexican restaurant near her office. The small round tables that were covered by red and green patterned tablecloths were neatly lined up against the windows. Although there were only a few patrons occupying said tables, Rose chose for us to be seated at the far corner of the restaurant.

"Even if I do have the money, Rose – which I don't – he won't be selling it back to me."

"Well, he won't be selling it to you because he can't." She said it with so much nonchalance I felt I should be insulted somehow since it did affect my life. She pointed at something on the paper – a copy of Charlie's will – and I leaned forward to inspect. She was right. The shitty clause was all I could zoom in.

"Dammit!"

I slapped my palm on the table, and the sound was loud enough for the few nearby customers to turn their heads in our direction. "What am I going to do?"

"You also can't sell EC Recording to anybody else," she continued like she didn't hear me. "It states here that …" She turned a page "… you can do anything you want with it except donate or sell the studio."

"Then what the hell will I do with Cullen's studio?" I munched on my cucumber angrily, giving it the hate I felt at the moment. "I don't even want it."

"Same as he doesn't want your mother's building," she deadpanned.

I glared at her, not really appreciating her pointing that out.

She shrugged, not bothered at all by my irritation. Being a corporate lawyer, she was used to dealing with power hungry people with big egos and bigger bank accounts, so my irritation didn't affect her one bit.

"The studio is important to him."

"Ya think?" My sarcasm earned me an arched eyebrow. I opened my mouth to say something, but she held up a finger to stop me.

"The studio is important to him," she repeated, "and that only means he's as desperate as you, which is a good thing."

"How could that be a good thing?"

"Because," she continued, wagging her finger at me, "that would require him to agree to marriage with you."

I stared at her in disbelief. The anger bubbled inside me, making it hard for me to think a coherent thought.

"Please don't look at me like that, Bella."

"What look?" I snapped, my voice tight as I tried to rein in my anger. She was not only my lawyer, but she was also my friend. Was it too hard for me to expect her to iron this fucking shit out for me? She promised to help, but it looked like she was conceding this early in the game. "Like I'm pissed? Because yeah, I'm pissed! How could this happen, Rose? You're giving up on me?"

"Bella –"

"I thought you said you won't let them win!"

"I'm not!" she argued, her voice rising as I glared at her. She sighed loudly before she grabbed one of my hands between hers. Her eyes pleaded with me.

"Listen, I know you might think I didn't do anything here, but I have gone over Charlie's will and as much as I don't want to admit it, Aro is one brilliant lawyer. I couldn't find a single loophole in the document. Nada!" She squeezed my hand and looked me straight in the eye. "So you know what I did?"

She didn't continue until I answered her.

"What did you do?" I grumbled grudgingly, still irritated at her.

"Well, I thought to give Aro a call, thinking I could charm him into revoking some clauses in the will, including both your property and Cullen's. And you know what the hell he did? He laughed at me," she said through gritted teeth, making it obvious she never took it lightly when someone mocked her. "The fucker laughed at me and said Charlie was his friend, and he would enforce everything Charlie wanted even if it was the last thing he did."

My irritation subsided upon hearing her words. In actually, if I weren't so caught up with my emotions about the whole debacle I had with Charlie and his family, I wouldn't even question Rose about her loyalty. I had known she would have my back whenever and wherever. I was just too high strung these past few days. I knew she understood where I was coming from, but I still needed to apologize somehow. I opened my mouth, but she chose that exact moment to continue.

"And then I called Emmett –"

"You talked to Emmett?" I asked, surprised. The only other person I knew who was a bigger prick than my father and Cullen was Emmett McCarty.

"I needed to hear what they're thinking about this whole fuckery, Bella."

"I just bet he loved that you called him."

"His ego is as big as ever, that much I could tell you."

"What did he say?"

She sighed in frustration. "He and his team couldn't also find any loopholes, any vagueness in this will they could go around. It's one solid motherfucker."

It was like a punch in the stomach. A big blow that made me lose my breath.

"Shit, Rose! I can't marry Cullen … I just can't!" I argued, trying not to let the panic set in. "I don't want to!"

"I know, Bells. I know." She sounded so dejected, it made me want to cry. "And I'm sorry I can't help you –"

It was at that exact moment I tuned her out. As she raised her left hand and ran it through her hair, a very shiny ring with a large rock was on her left ring finger.

"Rose," I asked, my voice a little higher than before. She had been waiting for this moment for a few months now, and I had shared in her worry and excitement. "Is this what I think it is?" I thumbed the glittery stone, already knowing the answer, and suddenly feeling like such a bitch for not noticing earlier.

"Royce proposed last night," she said breathlessly. The smile couldn't be contained from her face, and I leaped from my seat and hugged her.

"Why didn't you say something?"

"I was looking for the proper time to tell you. And as you can see, this thing with Cullen is making it difficult for me to think about me when you're already in deep shit."

"Oh, Rose." I hugged tightly. I just wished this moment wasn't marred by my earlier outbursts. I was still anxious about this thing with Cullen, but I also didn't want her to think I was a selfish bitch for not sharing her happiness. I was happy for her. I truly was. That was why I thought it would be better if we rescheduled this meeting to talk about Charlie and his fucking will.

"So, tell me everything."

"But –"

"My life story is depressing, Rose. You know that firsthand. I'd rather talk about your life – your love life specifically. So spill."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I am." It was useless to get angry about things I couldn't control. I had the choice not to take the option of marriage, but I couldn't let any of Charlie's other children have something my mother had left me. I wouldn't – couldn't lose, especially to someone like Cullen. It would be a travesty if I did. "I promise, we'll talk about my problems later."

She smiled, glowing from the inside out, and I temporarily pushed all my negativity aside and listened to Rose recount how Royce got down on one knee last night.

We cried and giggled together as we talked. I told her about my clothing consignment in BB Retailers. Although she had the same reluctance as Tanya, she was still supportive in the end. The afternoon was spent gossiping like old times; and all talks about Cullen were forgotten, at least for the moment. We were given one week to decide, so we had another five days to go over what needed to be done.

OOOOOOOOOO

"It was awesome. Admit it, Bella. Admit it!" Jasper insisted as we walked out of the movie house, seemingly ready to defend his view of the movie we just watched.

Fast cars and scantily clad women were the key ingredients that made him think it was a brilliant film. He was such a man.

"No, it was not. Your testosterone-fueled genes make you believe that it's the next Golden Globe winner," I deadpanned.

"Fuck the Golden Globes. I don't need them to tell me whether a movie is fantastic. And for your information, what we just saw was amazing!"

"So you say," I replied drily. We walked towards the parking lot, still arguing about the movie. He was a little pissy because he couldn't convince me to worship the plot line like he did, and I continued to act like I hated it. We were only a few feet away from his car when I stopped. Riley was staring at me like he had seen a ghost. I glanced at the girl beside him. Ah, that was the reason for his obvious discomfort.

I smiled at him, hoping this time would earn me a smile in return. It didn't. Instead, I got a frown. He turned quickly, opening the car door to usher the woman inside his car. It was like he wanted to put a wide distance between us.

"That was different," I heard Jasper say as I slid in the passenger seat of his car. It didn't take a genius to know what he meant.

Riley and I had dated for almost a year until four months ago when I had broken off things with him. There was no sordid story behind the break-up, except he was becoming serious about our relationship and I wasn't. It was difficult to explain why I did what I did, but selfishness was a major part of it. Some went into a relationship because of love and companionship. I, on the other hand, went into it because of pressure – and sex. The sex between us had been good, but it wasn't enough, for me at least. Riley wanted some commitment from me. He even insisted I moved in with him, which ultimately was the trigger for my decision to end things. He had begged and stalked me for weeks in the hopes I would change my mind, but that stopped about three weeks ago.

"He's still angry," I grumbled, feeling guilty all over again for what I did to him. I knew he loved me. In some kind of weird way, I loved him, too. I even missed him, and I missed the sex.

"Riley's gonna be okay, Bella. You don't have to keep beating yourself up for breaking up with him."

"I know," I said. "But it still doesn't make me feel any better that I did that to him." He told me I broke not only his heart, but his spirit as well. But if I had stayed with him, I would have hurt him more than I already did.

"But look on the bright side, Bells. He's going out, and that's a good sign. Isn't it?" Jasper said as he backed away and maneuvered the car into the streets.

He had a point. Perhaps Riley bringing a woman, whom I guessed was a date, to see a movie meant he was ready to let go of the past. I sure wished that for him.

"She better be good to him."

"You jealous?" he asked, giving me a side-glance. The small smile he tried to hide wasn't lost on me, and I slapped his arm hard.

"OW! That hurt!"

"Then stop teasing me about Riley!"

He knew I was sensitive about what had happened with Riley and me. It was something I wasn't proud of, but it was also something I needed to do.

"Earth to Bella."

"Huh?"

"We're here," he said, nodding his head to the direction of my building. My apartment was on the third floor of my shop.

"Yeah. Thanks for the movie date, Jas," I said and fumbled to get free from my seat belt. He might have mistaken my clumsiness for nervousness.

"Bella, are you okay?" He sounded worried, and I turned to look at him, nodding my head in response.

"Are you worried about tomorrow?"

The mention of tomorrow reminded me of the meeting with Aro to finalize the legalities of the will. Alice and Cullen would be there, and that was reason enough for me to dread it.

"Shit. I am now."

"Nah, you're gonna be fine," he said, his smile mirroring his confidence. He didn't know about the marriage I was being forced into, only the building being transferred to Cullen's name. I planned to tell him once I had all the details straightened out. He would go bat shit crazy, especially if he knew whom I was to marry.

"If I'm not, I'm certain you're gonna be kicking some ass for me, Jas."

His smile widened in agreement. He would be kicking someone's ass once he learned about what Charlie had planned. That was for certain.

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	3. Naked Truth

**All recognisable characters belong to SM. I just own the plot.**

Thank you** PTB. **You guys are awesome.

Got a few written chapters, so there'll be an update once a week (say every Friday). I'll try my best to stick with this schedule. *cross fingers*

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"I don't think that's gonna happen, J," I said, scratching my chin with one finger. My ear was getting hot with the phone being pressed to it, so I shifted sides. James was bombarding me about shit I couldn't concentrate on.

I had my feet resting on top of Emmett's shiny table, and if he was here right now, he wouldn't like that one bit. It was a good thing he had to have a little chitchat with his associates.

"_Yeah, I think so, too, man. We could use your materials, if you're done with arranging them."_

"That's where the big problem is. I don't even have one single song finished."

"_You're losing your golden touch, Cullen," he teased, laughing as he did, which surprisingly grated on my nerves this morning. _

"Fuck you, Hunter."

He laughed louder, which irritated me even more. He wasn't the reason for my irritation, but somehow his egging me about the album added to my already raw nerves.

"Why'd you call again?" I demanded, the edge in my tone clear. He might have sensed it because he cleared his throat before he spoke.

"_You know, I was just shitting with you."_

"If you haven't guessed yet, I'm not in the mood, J. It's not a good day for me."

"_Clearly," he replied. There was a long pause before I heard him sigh over the receiver. "Bree's been looking for you."_

"I know. She called a few times last night."

"_There's a party here in a few hours, and she said she'll come."_

If it were another member of the band, I would have been pissed, but it was James. I trusted him, and I knew he would take care of Bree. "Just make sure she doesn't drink, okay?"

"_I know. I promise I'll look after her."_

I sighed, hoping my jitters would calm down. "Look, about the songs-"

"_Don't worry. I'm confident you're gonna make it happen."_

"Frankly, I'm having doubts. I'm not sure I can see this album through." My hand was tired so I put the phone on speaker.

"_You will. You always do. You're just stressed with Charlie and this shit with her daughter, but I have trust in you, Cullen."_

"That was what I was afraid of," I admitted.

"_That's a first … you admitting defeat. What has New York done to Cullen with the massive ego? Shit, I need to haul your ass back here to L.A. That city is making your head crazy, man."_

"I've only been here a month."

"_That's a month too long."_

"Whatever," I grumbled. Emmett's appearance at the door told me I needed to haul my ass out of his office and into the meeting I didn't want any part of. "I need to go. I'll call you once I finish here."

"_Yeah,"_ James answered, but there was another long pause.

"Is there any thing else?" I asked, holding a finger up to Emmett.

"_We still got plenty of time before the next album, okay? So don't pressure yourself too much." _

James had always been one of those few people who encouraged me to do my thing. And now that Charlie was gone, there was one less person who would kick my butt if I was being an ass. There were only a handful of people I trusted, and James was in that inner circle.

"I'll try not to," I replied before I finally stood from the chair. "I really need to go, J. Em's waiting, and I'm afraid he's gonna bill me more than I could afford."

"_Tell the fucker to send me the bill of your legal fees. Just make sure he wins your studio back for you."_

"I can hear you," Emmett said loudly from across the room.

"_Good. Make that happen for me then, okay, Em?"_

"You're goddamn right I'll make that happen. EC Recording is Edward's, and that's not gonna change soon," Emmett answered confidently. That was the reason I liked him. He went after the things like I did … without reservations.

"_Great! We'll celebrate this victory with plenty of booze and tits when you both get back here."_

"If Vicky heard you, she'd cut your balls off," Emmett said, and James chuckled.

"Gotta go, Hunter. We'll see ya when we get back." Emmett didn't wait for him to respond before he pressed the button to end the call. "We need to go, Edward. Aro just called to inform me he's ready for us."

There was a black SUV waiting for us when we got out of the building. Emmett started talking and briefing me immediately after we got inside the car.

"This marriage needs to happen, Edward. It's the only chance you have to get back control of EC Recording."

"You've been grilling me about this nuptial since the other day, man."

"Because that's the only thing you have to do, and this problem could go away," he said, shrugging his shoulders as he did.

"I don't think jumping into matrimony with Isabella is gonna make it all better," I retorted. "But there's nothing I could do about it."

"Unless, of course, you're willing to let go of the studio."

"That's not an option, and you know it," I muttered, glaring at him for even making that suggestion.

"Of course, Edward." He was there when the studio was just a concept, so he knew its importance.

"I need my studio, and if she is the pawn in this ploy Charlie had concocted then I'd take the bait," I sneered, feeling the anger slowly ebb from inside me. Isabella clearly had no knowledge of Charlie's plan, but the mere thought of losing my studio to someone like her fueled my anger. Marrying her was the only answer to my problem, but she was another problem in itself. I wasn't sure how Charlie's plan was going to work, but Isabella was the only person who could make sure my recording studio remained in my control.

"I couldn't believe he would do that to you," Emmett said, still disgusted about what Charlie had done.

"Perhaps he had some kind of dementia before he died." Even when the words left my mouth, I knew they couldn't be true. Charlie was my father. He had adopted me when I was fourteen years old. He was my confidante, and I loved him. That was why it was so hard for me to accept his betrayal of trust. At this very moment I could dig up his grave to strangle him back to death.

"Charlie planned this for a reason only he could answer."

"What the hell was he thinking? Fuck! I didn't need this kind of shit in my life," I said angrily.

"You know he was more stubborn than a mule, so if he got this idea in his head, then there was no turning back for him."

"He knew I didn't want any of this," I muttered, running a hand through my hair. He knew! He goddamn knew I didn't believe in marriage because I told him. "I remembered that particular day because it was kind of weird for him to suddenly be so excited and adamant to talk about weddings and white picket fences, but eventually I gave in."

"You told him?" Emmett looked surprised.

It was then it dawned on me.

"Shit!" I cursed, fisting my hand so tightly I could see my knuckles turn white.

"What?"

I snorted in disgust at the sudden revelation.

"I told Charlie I would never marry," I muttered, going over everything that happened that night.

"When?"

"Two years ago." I ran my hand through my hair in agitation, hating the thoughts in my head. "And I think that's when he came up with this idea."

OOOOOOOOOO

Aro asked if we had problems with the terms and condition of the agreement, and I could feel my head spin. Not only did I have a problem with it, I was opposed to everything about it!

"Is it really necessary for Mr. Cullen and Miss Swan to live under one roof for a year?" Emmett asked, and I gritted my teeth in irritation. I had read the long list of requirements last night, but the shock upon hearing details discussed out loud didn't lessen.

"It's one of the requirement stipulated in the arrangement, so that means it needs to be complied with." Aro's tone made it clear he wasn't giving into any of our requests. He was the executor of Charlie's will, making sure every little damn thing his friend wanted was seen through. If I wasn't too pissed at the moment, I would congratulate him for doing such a good job.

I glanced at where Isabella sat. She looked worried, the crease in her forehead, and her furrowed eyebrows, proved it. When she noticed I was staring at her, her expression changed from worry to annoyance. She scowled at me, looking like an angry kitten – a little tame yet wild when provoked.

Anger looked good on her. She was even prettier when she was furious, but that attractiveness ended there. She was ugly underneath all that beautiful packaging. _Such a waste_, I thought, shaking my head in disgust. If only she had a good heart inside of her, she would be completely irresistible.

My eyes wandered below her face, and I could feel her glare as I took in what she had on. She wore a form-fitting blouse that covered most of her upper torso, but it didn't do much to hide her curves. In fact, it actually accentuated her breasts.

An idea formed in my mind as I perused Isabella's body – those parts that weren't concealed by the table. Her eyes were still on me, clearly sending me a message to back off. I smirked, loving this new plan I had. Isabella would hate me for this, but I didn't give a damn. She loathed me as much as I did her. This would be some kind of a getting-even scheme.

"How about the one-week separation clause?" I heard her lawyer ask, but I was too focused on what I had planned to do to listen to Aro's response.

"I have a requirement," I interrupted loudly, leaning back on my chair as I met Isabella's furious gaze. This would be good … so fucking good.

"Edward –" Emmett said, but I waved him off.

"I said I have a requirement," I repeated, my eyes still on Isabella, gauging and assessing.

"Then please do tell us, Mr. Cullen," Rosalie Hale urged. Her expression didn't change, but the tone of her voice did. The warning was there.

"I already agreed to the arrangement –"

"And so did we," Rosalie interjected, cutting me off. She clasped her hands together in front of her. "What's with this new request you have?"

I leveled her stare, and I smiled.

"Well, I think I need some kind of liberties before I finally sign those damn documents." I was taking my time, trying to build up the tension … make them sweat.

"Edward –" Emmett tried to get my attention, but I cut him off again.

"I got this, Em," I told him, turning in time to see him nod in acquiesce.

"If you say so."

"Don't keep us waiting, Mr. Cullen," Rosalie said. "We don't have all day."

"Well, I need to see the package."

A confused murmur started amongst everybody at the table.

"And what package is that?" Rosalie asked. I could see the wheels in her brains working, and from the frown on her face, she had deduced what I just said.

I leaned forward, resting my chin on my clasped hands. My next words would sure come as a shock to everyone. "I want to see Isabella."

"You're looking at her," Rosalie answered, opening her palm towards her right where her client sat.

"I want to see her naked."

"What?! Are you crazy?" Isabella asked incredulously. Yep, I expected that reaction from her.

"No, I'm not. I just want to see what I'm getting in return for putting a ring on your finger."

"You asshole! You're getting your studio!"

"If I'm going to fuck you, then it's imperative–"

"Who said anything about fucking?" Isabella shouted, her eyes alighted with anger.

"If I'm going to marry, then it means I can't have sex with any one else except my wife. That's what I told Charlie, and that's what I'm going to do." I crossed my arms and leaned back on my chair, trying not to laugh at the different emotions that warred on her face.

"You can have any woman you want. It's not going to be a problem," she argued.

"No." The force of my tone made her see I wasn't joking.

"I don't understand! I don't know you … I don't even like you. And yet you think I'm going to be okay with this?!"

She was freaking out, and I pitied her. It wouldn't be easy, and here I was adding a little more drama to an already shitty situation between us. Charlie had known I wouldn't want sex with anyone else other than my wife if I got married, and he paved the way for me to marry his daughter. I couldn't understand as to why he wanted us like this – married and fucked up, but I would get to the bottom of this if that was the last thing I did.

"You're going to be my wife, Isabella, and so I'm going to have free reign of your body. It's that simple."

She closed her eyes and took deep breaths. Rosalie put her hand on Isabella's arm in a form of comfort. She leaned down to say something in her ear, and they engrossed in conversation.

"What the hell are you doing, Edward?" Emmett hissed at me. He looked panicked and irritated at the same time.

"Trust me." I would explain once I understood what the hell I was doing. I didn't want to doubt myself now. I would do it later in the confines of my hotel room, where I was certain I would get some tongue lashing from him.

"Just hope this doesn't come back to bite you in the ass," he warned, shaking his head in disbelief. He returned to his position, acting like he knew all along what I planned.

Rosalie and Isabella were still arguing and discussing silently between them. I gave them a few more minutes to continue with their _little chat_, before I finally lost my patience.

"What's it gonna be?"

They turned simultaneously, their angry gazes landing on me. It was Rosalie who composed herself enough to answer my question like the professional she should be.

"Okay."

I expected her to add something else, but to my surprise she didn't. It left me speechless for a second before I realized they were waiting for me.

"Let's go," I said, pushing back my chair to stand.

"You want to do it now?" Isabella asked, in shock. Didn't she know she should expect the unexpected from me?

"What better time to do it than now? Where we could still change our minds after the … inspection."

"I'm sure you're gonna love that. You're a pig!" she hissed, and I laughed. It seemed I enjoyed riling her. It was a good thing Alice wasn't here to join in the fun.

"Don't worry, you're going to be doing some inspection yourself."

That shut her up. I saw her glance at Rosalie, before she stood up from where she sat. I knew if it was someone else, they would have walked out the moment I mentioned _fucking_. Isabella was Charlie's biological daughter, and that meant she had the same stubborn streak he did. She wouldn't give up her fight easily, of that I was certain.

"Lead the way, asshole."

We went to Charlie's old library. The room was eerily silent, and the sound of footsteps as we entered was the only thing that could be heard. I stood and waited while Isabella walked as far away from me as she could. Finally, she stood just a few feet away, clearly uncomfortable.

"So what's next?"

"Strip," I answered, not removing my eyes from hers.

"No," she answered.

I raised an eyebrow in challenge, and crossed my arms defiantly. If she wanted to make things harder than they already were then who the heck was I to argue. She must have seen the look of determination on my face, because she quickly relented.

"You go first."

_Now we're talking._

Since I was the one who suggested we do this _inspection_, then the least I could do was act the gentleman and do as the lady said. The air was full of palpable tension, and excitement coursed through me.

I started to strip from my coat jacket to my shirt, and then I unbuckled my belt. The big gulps she was taking made me realize my body affected her in some way. Surprisingly, that thought satisfied me. _You're a sick fuck, Cullen!_

And then I finally removed my pants and my boxers. A sharp intake of breath was heard, and I grinned … because it didn't come from me. I loved that she was uncomfortable with this. It made me more confident in prolonging her agony. I stood proud and confident before her, my nakedness not an issue.

Her eyes raked in the tattoos on my body. I wasn't sure whether she liked them or not, but her gaze stayed on them longer than I thought it should. I wanted to tell her to take a closer look, because that was what I intended to do later when it was her turn, but the nervous expression on her face changed my mind. I stared at her as she studied every inch of me, wanting to memorize her expression, something I could use against her in the future.

When her eyes landed on my cock, that was when things got more interesting. Her eyes widened in shock before she quickly masked it away with indifference. I smirked, knowing I was not the average size.

"Do you like what you see?"

She licked her lips before she answered. "It's okay."

_Okay my ass! _I was certain she loved looking at my body. I would make her admit it one of these days.

"It's your turn, Isabella."

She blew out a large breath and slowly reached for the buttons of her blouse. It took her a few minutes to get it undone, but when she did, all I could see was her skin. It looked so damn smooth and soft; all I wanted was to touch it. My stomach started to tighten in coils, and I didn't need to look down to know my cock liked what he saw.

Her bra came off, and my cock started to stir. Even if I wanted to, it would be hard to hide my obvious erection. I was turned on – more than I expected to be – and I refused to be ashamed of any of it. If I married her, sex was a requirement, so it would be inevitable for us to see each other naked. By the time her panties came off, I was hard as a rock. She was trying her best not to look at my erection, but more than once I caught her glancing at junior.

"What are you doing?" she asked, trying to cover herself with her hands as I stepped forward.

"I'm getting a closer look," I drawled, giving her gorgeous body a once over. My eyes lingered on the well-trimmed pubic hair that covered her pussy, imagining what it would feel like.

"No, just stay where-"

"You can't cover yourself," I chastised, and she placed her hands reluctantly back at her side. I took that moment to bridge the gap between us. She was so close. I could see the mole at the right side of her breast, inviting me to lick it. Her pink-colored nipples puckered under my stare, and I smiled. This was arousing her, as well.

"I want to touch you," I whispered, "but you're going to slap me if I do … so I won't."

I leaned down a little more, inhaling her scent. She smelled so fucking delicious … like ice cream and candy. When I had my fill of her, I backed away slowly to a safe distance. She looked so relieved she even gave me a smile.

We stared at each other in complete silence for what felt like forever, each second becoming more uncomfortable. She was the first one who broke our stare, quickly gathered her clothes and dressed up.

When she stormed out of the room I wanted to bang my head against the wall for being stupid. I knew this would come back to bite me in the ass.

* * *

**_Thoughts? Review and tell me all about it._**

**_xoxo_**


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